This easy Italian Peas recipe is simple and quick for a weeknight dinner but special enough to serve with your holiday meal. Fresh or frozen peas get a flavor boost from chopped onions and garlic in this wonderful, simple side dish.
If you are looking for a quick and easy vegetable side dish to go with your supper, these peas are your answer. They go great with any meal from meatloaf hamburger patties (please tell me you've tried these by now - they are a total family favorite) to Easter dinner. We had these for St. Patrick's Day this year with bangers & mash and it was delicious!
To be honest, peas have never been my favorite. I have always just kind of mushed them in with bites of potato to try and get them down. I like them IN things (looking at you chicken pot pie), just usually not on their own. It's not that they were often bad, they were just never very good.
Then I discovered Italian peas. And they are legitimately tasty! And I no longer dread a pile of peas on my plate! And my kids gobbled them up!
We are always trying to eat more veggies. Other favorites at our house are Easy Oven Roasted Cauliflower, Stir-Fried Baby Bok Choy, and Oven Roasted Broccoli with Garlic, Parmesan and Lemon.
I have zero idea why these are called Italian peas, other than I first saw the recipe on All Recipes and that's what they were called. Possibly they are Italian? But maybe not? I guess it just sounds better than peas and onions.
How to Make Italian Peas
First, if using frozen peas, open up the bag and dump the peas into a big bowl of cold water. Let them thaw that way for 20 minutes, then drain well. Since the window where I have fresh peas is so short, this is what I almost always do.
While the peas thaw, finely chop ½ a large onion and mince a couple cloves of garlic. Saute the onion in a large pan over medium heat with a couple tablespoons of olive oil for 4-5 minutes until they soften. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
Add the drained pea, water, and chicken bouillon, seasoning with a little salt and pepper too. Then cover and cook for a few minutes, just until the peas are heated through and vibrant green. You don't want wrinkly, mushy, overcooked peas.
You CAN make this recipe without defrosting the frozen peas first. It will just take a couple minutes longer to heat the peas all the way through and I find that it's easier to overcook them this way, which is why I like thawing them in water first.
It's the same approach to cook fresh peas. Just add them to the pan with the onion and saute them for 3-5 minutes until they are heated through and tender. A sprinkle of freshly grated Parmesan cheese is the perfect finish for these Italian peas, but totally optional and not necessary if you don't have it on hand.
More Vegetable Sides Your Family Will Enjoy
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Apples
- Oven Roasted Asparagus with Garlic, Parmesan & Lemon
- Green Beans with Bacon & Pine Nuts
- Oven Roasted Broccoli with Garlic
- Creamed Peas and Potatoes
- Creamy Pea Salad with Bacon
Side Dish
Best Corn on the Cob
Side Dish
Bacon Wrapped Green Bean Bundles
Side Dish
Stir-Fried Baby Bok Choy
Did you make this recipe?
Let me know what you thought with a comment and rating below. You can also take a picture and tag me on Instagram @houseofnasheats or share it on the Pinterest pin so I can see.
Italian Peas
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- ½ large white onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 16 ounces frozen green peas, thawed in cold water for 20 minutes, then well-drained
- 1 Tablespoon water
- Pinch of chicken bouillon granules
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
Instructions
- Add the oil to a large skillet set over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and saute until the onions are soft and translucent, about 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another 30 seconds more until fragrant.
- Add peas, water, and chicken bouillon granules, then cover and cook for 2-3 minutes until the peas are tender and heated through.
- Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.
This was a great side dish for our family dinner. Super easy, too!
Awesome recipe, thanks you so much for sharing.
I really dislike peas but I had some in the freezer I wanted to use up. We now use this recipe regularly. I don’t hate peas anymore!
Its italian my nana 93 yrs young has been making me this since I was a baby . She carmelized her onions and always added fresh garlic and parmesan. One of my favorite foods. We always had it with breaded veal and garlic mashed potatoes
I love that! Going to have to try this with breaded veal and garlic mashed potatoes soon!